Lighter Piecrust Food

LIGHTER PIECRUST

Steps:

• Whisk together flours, wheat germ, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Blend in butter and shortening with a pastry cutter or your fingers until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Stir in 1/4 cup buttermilk with a fork until dough begins to form. Add additional buttermilk until dough holds together when pinched between fingers. Shape dough into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

EASY ALL-BUTTER FLAKY PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Add 1 ½ cups flour, salt, and sugar (optional) to a food processor. Pulse 2 to 3 times until combined. The remaining cup of flour will be added later.
• Scatter butter cubes over flour and process until a dough or paste begins to form, about 15 seconds. (There should be no uncoated flour).
• Scrape bowl, redistribute the flour-butter mixture then add remaining 1 cup of flour. Pulse 4 to 5 times until flour is evenly distributed. (Dough should look broken up and a little crumbly).
• Transfer to a medium bowl then sprinkle ice water over mixture - start with 4 tablespoons and add from there. Using a rubber spatula, press the dough into itself. The crumbs should begin to form larger clusters. If you pinch some of the dough and it holds together, it's ready. If the dough falls apart, add 2 to 4 more tablespoons of water and continue to press until dough comes together.
• Remove dough from bowl and place in a mound on a clean surface. Work the dough just enough to form a ball. Cut the ball in half then form each half into discs. Wrap each disc with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months (just thaw it overnight in the fridge before using it).
• Add 1 1/2 cups flour, salt and sugar (optional) to a medium bowl. Stir 2 to 3 times until combined.
• Scatter butter cubes over flour and mix briefly with a fork or spatula to coat the butter with flour.
• Cut the butter into the flour with a pastry blender, working mixture until the flour has a coarse, mealy texture similar to fresh bread crumbs. About 1 - 2 minutes.
• Add remaining 1 cup of flour. Work butter and flour with the pastry blender until flour is evenly distributed. About 20 seconds. (Dough should look crumbly with pea-sized pieces).
• Sprinkle ice water over the mixture - start with 4 tablespoons and add from there. Using a rubber spatula, press the dough into itself. The crumbs should begin to form larger clusters. If you pinch some of the dough and it holds together, it's ready. If the dough falls apart, add 2 to 4 more tablespoons of water and continue to press until dough comes together.
• Remove dough from bowl and place in a mound on a clean surface. Work the dough just enough to form a ball. Cut ball in half then form each half into discs. Wrap each disc with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour, and up to 2 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months (just thaw it overnight in the fridge before using).
• Remove one of the dough discs from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes.
• Lightly flour work surface, top of dough and rolling pin. Then use rolling pin to roll out dough to a 12-inch circle (about 1/8-inch thick). Be sure to check if the dough is sticking to the surface below - add a small amount of flour when necessary.
• Check for size by inverting pie dish over dough round. Look for a 1-inch edge around the pie dish. To transfer dough to dish, starting at one end, roll dough around rolling pin then unroll over dish.
• Gently press dough down into dish so that it lines the bottom and sides of the dish. (Be careful not to pull or stretch the dough). Then, use a knife or pair of kitchen scissors to trim dough to within 1/2-inch of the edge of the dish.
• Fold edge of dough underneath itself so that it creates a thicker, 1/4-inch border that rests on the lip of the dish. Then, crimp edges by pressing the pointer finger of one hand against the edge of the dough from the inside of the dish while gently pressing with two knuckles of the other hand from the outside. Refrigerate dough at least 20 minutes or freeze for 5 minutes before baking.
• If making a double crust pie, do not crimp edges yet. Roll out second dough disc, fill pie then top with second dough round. Trim the edges then crimp.
• Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place a baking sheet on a middle oven rack.
• Roll out enough dough to make one 9-inch crust (1 dough disk). Place into a pie plate and then pierce the bottom of the crust with a fork (this prevent air pockets or bubbles from forming while baking). Line the crust with two sheets of aluminum foil or parchment paper. (Be sure to push foil against the edges of the crust). Then, fill foil with dried rice, dried beans or pie weights. Refrigerate 30 minutes or freeze for 10 minutes, or until firm to the touch.
• Place pie crust onto preheated baking sheet and reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Bake 20 to 30 minutes or until the crust is golden.
• Make an egg wash by whisking one egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of cream in a small bowl. Then, remove rice, beans or pie weights and foil from pie crust. Brush the bottom and sides of the crust with egg wash. Bake until egg wash is dry and shiny, 3 to 5 minutes. Cool crust completely before filling.
• Oven temperature and bake time for double crust pies will vary depending on the pie recipe you plan to follow. As an example, we set our oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for our double crust cherry pie (see the recipe here).
• Remove half of dough from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 13-inch (1/8-inch thick) circle.
• Check for size by inverting pie dish over dough round. Look for a 1-inch edge around the pie dish. Carefully press the dough into the dish. Spoon the pie filling into pie crust.
• Roll out second half of dough then top pie. Use a knife or pair of kitchen scissors to trim dough to within 3/4-inch of the edge of the dish.
• Fold edges of top crust underneath edges of bottom crust, pressing the edge to seal it so that it creates a thicker, 1/4-inch border that rests on the lip of the dish. Then, crimp edges by pressing the pointer finger of one hand against the edge of the dough from the inside of the dish while gently pressing with two knuckles of the other hand from the outside. Refrigerate pie at least 20 minutes or freeze for 5 minutes before baking.
• Just before baking, make egg wash by whisking egg yolk and cream together in a small bowl. Use a pastry brush to brush over the top crust. Then, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Then, cut 3 to 4 slits in top of pie. Bake as directed by the specific recipe you are following.

OLD FASHIONED FLAKY PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Whisk flour with salt in a bowl; use a fork to stir in vegetable oil. Mix in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, before adding more water. Gather dough into a ball, divide in half, and roll out on a floured work surface.

LIGHTER CHICKEN POTPIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast (avoiding bone) registers 165 degrees, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly; discard skin and bones. Shred meat, and set aside.
• While chicken is roasting, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add carrots, onion, and thyme; season with salt and pepper, and cook until carrots are crisp-tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add flour, and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Gradually add milk, stirring until smooth. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a simmer and thickens.
• Remove from heat; stir in peas, lemon juice, and chicken, and season with salt and pepper. Pour filling into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate.
• Stack phyllo on a work surface. Using a paring knife, cut out an 11-inch circle from the stack; discard trimmings. Stack 2 circles on work surface, and brush gently with 1 teaspoon oil; repeat with remaining circles and oil. Place phyllo stack over filling, and press down about 1/2 inch from the edge so phyllo fits inside rim of pie plate. Bake until golden and bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Let potpie cool 15 minutes before serving.

LIGHT PIE CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400ºF.
• Combine flour and sugar in a large bowl or food processor. Add margarine and process, or mix together with your fingers, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add cold water, one tablespoon at a time, and process, or mix, until a manageable dough forms; turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 12-inch circle.
• Press dough into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan or removable-bottom tart pan; prick the bottom all over with a fork, cover dough with foil and fill with dried beans or rice.
• Bake 10 minutes. Remove beans and foil and bake until crust is golden brown, about 20 minutes more. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Yields 8 slices per crust.

LIGHTER CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER PIE RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Place nuts in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until chunky.
• Add in the oat flour, dark cocoa powder, honey, milk, and salt. Pulse until just thoroughly mixed.
• Add mixture to a greased pie tin and press down firmly to form the crust.
• Chill for 1 hour.
• In a large bowl, combine Greek yogurt, peanut butter, honey, vanilla, and salt until consistency is smooth.
• Add filling to pie crust and smooth into an even layer.
• Top with dark chocolate chips.
• Chill for at least 1 hour.
• Enjoy!

LIGHTER CHICKEN POT PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Rub the chicken with salt and pepper and bake on a baking sheet with a raised lip for 25 minutes, or until chicken has an internal temperature of 165°F.
• When the chicken is done, pull it out and set aside.
• Heat 2 Tbsp of oil in a large saucepan, and saute onions, carrots and thyme, sage, and savory until the carrots are crisp-tender, about 8 minutes.
• Add the flour to the onions and carrots and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
• Gradually add the milk and stir, heating it until it is simmering and slightly thick.
• Shred the chicken.
• Add lemon juice, frozen vegetables, and chicken to the carrot mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Pour into a 1.5-quart casserole.
• Lay out two sheets of phyllo dough on a dry surface, and brush with olive oil. Lay two more sheets on top of these, brush with olive oil, and repeat.
• Lay the layered dough onto the top of the casserole. Tuck in around the sides so the edges of the dough flare up and make a nice edge. Brush the edges with a bit more olive oil.
• Cook in the 400°F oven for 20 minutes, or until browned and bubbly.
• Cool 15 minutes before serving.

LIGHTER LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place a 9-by-1 1/2-inch flan ring or the ring of a springform pan on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper; set aside.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut into a 10 1/2-inch round, and fit into ring, pressing up sides. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Trim sides of dough to 1 inch. Line with parchment paper. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake shell until dry and beginning to brown around edges, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove parchment and weights; continue baking until pale golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely.
• Put 1 1/3 cups sugar, the cornstarch, flour, and 1/4 teaspoon salt into a medium saucepan; whisk in 1 3/4 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat, whisking constantly. Cook, whisking, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons zest, the lemon juice, and ginger; whisk to combine. Remove from heat, and add egg yolks. Return to heat, and cook, whisking, until bubbling in center, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour through a medium sieve into a medium bowl. Stir in remaining teaspoon zest. Let stand 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour into cooled shell. Refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Stir together remaining 1/2 cup sugar, the egg whites, and a pinch of salt in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Cook, whisking constantly, until sugar has dissolved. Transfer to the bowl of the electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat on medium speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar, and beat on high speed until medium glossy peaks form, about 3 minutes.
• Heap meringue on top of chilled filling, leaving a 1-inch border. Place under broiler or use a kitchen torch to brown. Serve immediately.